US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA131

C O N F I D E N T I A L  BRATISLAVA 000131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, IZ, LO 
SUBJECT: FEB 21 GAERC: SLOVAK RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 25111 
 
Classified By: CDA Scott N. Thayer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY. Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Lubomir 
Rehak, European Correspondent at the MFA, February 11.  Rehak 
welcomed USG positions on transatlantic relations, the Middle 
East Peace Process, and Iraq.  Rehak expects the EU to 
continue to demand Gotovina's surrender to The Hague before 
proceeding with Croatian EU accession talks.  The GOS 
strongly supports the Ukrainian Action Plan, while the GOS 
continues to counsel Ukraine to produce results before 
seeking further commitments from the EU, such as accession 
talks.  The GOS will follow consensus on Sudan and the Great 
Lakes. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) Transatlantic Relations: Rehak said all Europeans 
are looking forward to President Bush's visit.  The EU is 
pleased with Washington's rapprochement, and Rehak labeled 
Bush's planned meetings at NATO "very useful."  PM Dzurinda 
will stress the improved transatlantic relations in his 
three-minute speech at the EU when Bush visits. 
 
3. (C) Middle East Peace Process: Rehak welcomed USG-proposed 
funds for Palestinian reform efforts.  He urged "strict 
control" on any financial assistance to make sure it is not 
diverted to areas that undermine peace.  Rehak said the 
Palestinians also require technical assistance.  He stressed 
the importance of the Sharm El Sheikh summit and said radical 
Islamic groups like Hamas and Hizbollah and Israel must 
respect the cease-fire. 
 
4. (C) Iraq: The GOS is still evaluating its potential 
participation in an EU-led training mission in Iraq.  Rehak 
said it is "very probable" that the GOS would participate in 
some form of training assistance.  The Ministry of Interior 
(MOI) may provide trainers similar to those the GOS currently 
has in Amman.  (MOI trainers do not require parliamentary 
approval unlike military trainers, but the GOS may feel 
politically obliged to get such approval anyway.)  The GOS 
supports establishing a physical EU diplomatic presence in 
Baghdad, and they would like to see the specific proposals 
advocated.  Rehak noted that other EU states are likely to 
oppose any diplomatic presence due to the security situation, 
although this is not prohibitive for the GOS since it already 
has an embassy in Baghdad. 
 
5. (C) Serbia/Kosovo/Bosnia: Rehak agreed that the promise 
and prospect of Euro-atlantic integration remains the 
greatest incentive for advancing our common interests in the 
western Balkans.  However, he warned that too much pressure 
could be counterproductive.  He stressed it is important to 
place pressure on both the Kosovar Albanians and Serbs to 
live up to their international obligations.  He mentioned PM 
Dzurinda would likely include Kosovo in his remarks at the 
EU-25. 
 
6. (C) Croatia: Rehak said it was "very probable" that 
without Gotovina in The Hague, EU accession talks with 
Croatia will not start March 17.  The Croatian Minister for 
European Integration met with GOS officials February 11. 
Rehak said the GOS still does not agree that one man should 
delay the whole of Croatia's accession talks, but he 
understands other countries within the EU will block talks 
from starting if Gotovina is not delivered to the Hague. 
Rehak said there are many instruments within the accession 
process that can leverage this issue, and the GOS does not 
have its own intelligence capacity to confirm or deny claims 
that Croatian security forces are hiding Gotovina. 
Nevertheless, the GOS has been actively urging Croatia to 
fulfill its international commitments and deliver Gotovina. 
He said the EU is speaking with one voice demanding Gotovina, 
and the GOC hears this message loud and clear. 
 
7. (C) Ukraine/Moldova: Rehak said he was very happy the EU 
finally will sign the Action Plan with Ukraine on the same 
day as the upcoming GAERC (February 21).  He said it is now 
time for the Ukrainians to act.  Rehak said the GOU's efforts 
to bolster the Action Plan to a promise towards EU accession 
talks went too far.  The GOS supports the current EU Action 
Plan as a "good start."  Ukraine must develop a market 
economy, work towards WTO membership, and strengthen the Rule 
of Law before the EU can open further to Ukraine.  The GOS 
reminds the GOU that the EU was hesitant to engage the GOS 
for over a year after the turning point 1998 elections.  The 
GOU should be patient, especially since the GOU will need EU 
support when the inevitable hard times come with the economic 
reforms.  The GOU does not need EU promises now; they will 
need them before the March 2006 parliamentary elections. 
Rehak said the GOS is telling the GOU they need fewer 
declarations and more actions and recommended President Bush 
raise this issue when he comes to Europe. 
 
 
8. (SBU) Sudan/Great Lakes: The GOS will follow EU consensus. 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
THAYER 
 
 
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